Pacifica School District Partners with Pacifica Police Department to Celebrate National Red Ribbon Week

Each day next week, Oct. 23-31, Pacifica’s elementary and middle schools will support Red Ribbon Week to increase student awareness of drug abuse and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle through various school sponsored activities and a classroom door decorating contest.

Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program that reaches out to millions of American students during the last week in October of every year.

Through participation in school organized classroom level anti-drug events, young people pledge to live a drug-free life and pay tribute to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena who was killed by illegal drug dealers in 1985. In response to his death, angered parents across the country began wearing Red Ribbons to symbolize their commitment toward the creation of a drug-free America.

Participation in Red Ribbon Week is a way for Pacifica’s schools to unite with the Pacifica Police Department and take a visible stand against substance abuse.

“I hope that you will show support for this initiative by reinforcing with your children the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and helping them to say ‘no’ to drug abuse, alcohol abuse, smoking and violence and to say ‘yes’ to healthy habits,” wrote Pacifica Police chief Jim Tasa in a letter addressed to school parents, guardians and school principals. “Our theme for this week will be ‘The Best Me is Drug Free.’”

The Pacifica School District and local private schools participating in Red Ribbon Week are encouraged to conduct school wide educational programs and individual classes are encouraged to demonstrate their understanding and commitment by decorating their classroom doors with a “The Best Me is Drug Free” theme.

The Pacifica Police Department will judge the decorated classroom doors on Friday, Oct. 26, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The classroom door judged to be the best door in each school will be awarded a prize in recognition of their effort. Luigi’s Italian Restaurant, The French Patisserie and Stillpoint On The Coast Massage & Bodywork are providing the winning door prizes in support of the Red Ribbon Week activities.

Classroom door decorations must support the “The Best Me is Drug Free” theme. Door decorations must be designed, crafted and assembled by the students, assisted by their teacher. If multi-media, animation or video is used as part of the door decoration, the students must have crafted and produced the multi-media effect.

Red Ribbon Week is celebrated by more than 100,000 schools and organizations nationwide, making it the most successful drug prevention event ever held.

“Unfortunately, wrong messages continue to barrage our children from other sources and although some illicit drug use has declined, marijuana, underage tobacco and alcohol continue to be used at alarming rates,” said Tasa. “Now more than ever, we must continue to wage the war on drugs.”

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